1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dryers for pet animals, and is more particularly directed to a pet dryer comprising a cage and a fan assembly mounted thereon for drying the wet coat of a pet animal housed inside the cage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types and breeds of pet animals, such as dogs and cats, require periodic grooming of the hair on the pet's coat to present a clean and well-groomed appearance. The process of grooming the pet typically includes the steps of shampooing the pet's coat, drying the pet's coat, trimming the hair of the pet's coat (if desired), and combing the loose hair from the pet's coat. In an effort to decrease the amount of time required to groom the pet, it is known to use a variety of different types of electric dryers to perform the step of drying the pet's coat.
For example, some groomers have been known to use a hand-held hair dryer (such as those commonly sold for use by people) to dry the pet's coat. Another type of manual dryer consists of a base unit having a flexible tube extending therefrom, wherein the base unit can be mounted on a grooming table, mounted on a wall near a grooming table, placed on the floor near a grooming table, or mounted on wheels so that the dryer can be pulled between grooming stations. Within the base unit is a motor-powered squirrel cage blower which operatively forces air through the flexible tube.
To use the above dryers, the groomer aims the hair dryer or flexible tube at a particular area of the pet's coat and dries that area, aims the hair dryer or flexible tube at a different area of the pet's coat and dries that area, and so on. The disadvantage of using these type of dryers is that the groomer must manually dry the pet's coat, thereby preventing him/her from performing other tasks during the drying process.
Therefore, to enable a groomer to perform other tasks during the drying process, various types of "cage" dryers have been designed which allow the groomer to place a shampooed pet inside a cage to dry the pet's coat.
For example, the base unit/flexible tube dryer described above is designed to optionally include a cage attachment which can be secured to the end of the flexible tube. In use, a shampooed pet is placed inside a cage, the end of the flexible tube is attached to the wire cage door, and the blower forces air through the tube and into the cage at a volumetric rate ranging from 100 to 300 cubic feet per minute.
Another type of cage dryer is a stand dryer. A stand dryer consists of a housing mounted on a vertical pole, wherein the pole is supported by a base mounted on wheels so that the dryer can be rolled between cages. Within the housing is a motor-powered squirrel cage blower which operatively forces air through a drying nozzle of the housing. In use, a shampooed pet is placed inside a cage, the stand dryer is positioned next to the wire cage door, and the blower forces air through the drying nozzle and into the cage at a volumetric rate ranging from 100 to 300 cubic feet per minute.
Yet another type of cage dryer is a hanging dryer. A hanging dryer consists of a housing having hooks attached thereto such that the dryer can be hung from the wire door of a cage. Within the housing is a motor-powered squirrel cage blower which operatively forces heated air through a rectangular vent on the front of the dryer. In use, a shampooed pet is placed inside a cage, the hanging dryer is hung on the wire cage door, and the blower forces heated air through the vent and into the cage at a volumetric rate ranging from 150 to 550 cubic feet per minute.
The disadvantage of using the above cage dryers is that the relatively small area of the dryer opening only directs enough air into the cage to dry a portion of the surface of the pet's coat at a time. Thus, the groomer may have to reposition the dryer in relation to the pet throughout the drying process, thereby requiring some manual intervention on the part of the groomer. In addition, some regions of the pet's coat (e.g. the side facing away from the dryer) will not be as dry as others. Furthermore, it is well known that pet animals left unattended in a heated cage can develop hypothermia (fatal overheating) and/or suffer dehydration as a result of the heat. Therefore, many groomers refuse to use heated cage dryers because of the potential health hazards to the pet.
In yet a further attempt to dry a pet animal, cage dryers have been designed which consist of a substantially enclosed cage having a motor-powered squirrel cage blower housed within a compartment inside the cage. In use, the blower circulates jets of heated air under the cage flooring and into the cage at a volumetric rate ranging from 500 to 1400 cubic feet per minute. The disadvantage of using these cage dryers is that they use heated air to dry the pet's coat. Therefore, many groomers also refuse to use these cage dryers because of the potential health hazards to the pet.
In view of the problems associated with the above dryers, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved pet dryer which does not require a groomer to manually dry a pet animal's coat, thereby allowing the groomer to perform other tasks during the drying process.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pet dryer which drys a pet animal's coat without any manual intervention on the part of a groomer during the drying process.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pet dryer which drys a pet animal's coat in a relatively short amount of time.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a pet dryer which drys a pet animal's coat without the use of heated air.